Evening Gents.
Came home this evening to find I had been burgled. Got in by removing window from frame. Whole house turned upside down. Cash and valuables taken. But unfortunately also a full set of keys including the main car key.
Priority is to board up window but then I'm taking the car a long way from home before they come back for it.
Then tomorrow I can turn my attention to sorting out the locks.
Does anyone have any advice or know how much it is likely to cost?
Thanks in advance.
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Oh sorry to hear your bad news.
I've no idea how much to replace locks on a Focus - and the ECU will need reprogramming to stop the remote locking from the old key working. Not going to be cheap so might this be better as an insurance job.
My main reason for posting was about securing the car tonight. Can you not lock block it in somewhere using another car, e.g. on a drive? Or better in a garage and then block the garage. What if they see you drive the car somewhere and take it.
Or alternatively, remove the battery, HT leads, or something? Crook lock? If I'd hide in it and wait for them to come back and do some damage to them - but that would get you into trouble wouldn't it. Or maybe hide a tracker (e.g. Android phone with tracking enabled) in it and hope they take it and lead you and the police to them :-)
I wouldn't assume the car is safe if simply away from home and it's wasting time etc. If you lived near me (Manchester area) you could put it in my garage and it would be safe.
Best of luck sorting all of this.
Last edited by: rtj70 on Fri 9 Mar 12 at 22:43
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Just get the immobiliser reset to another code( + keys) and you should be OK.
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Double check car and house policies - one or both may cover lock replacement....
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not both - you can't be double insured. you'll have to choose one if they both cover it.
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Most comprehensive car policies include lock replacement if keys are lost or stolen. However, you need to weigh up the cost of paying for the lock replacement against whatever excess you have and the effect on future renewals.
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Thanks for replies.
The window is now boarded. All my paperwork is now in one big pile in the middle of the room! I need to sort through it to see what has gone and try and find insurance stuff.
My drive isn't suitable for blocking so I'm off to find somewhere better.
The HT leads will be removed. I've got a Krooklock but it hasn't been used for 20 years so I've no idea where the key is but I might just drape it in place.
Locks and keys is tomorrow's problem.
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I'm puzzled you still have the car.
In most so-called 'Hanoi' burglaries, the burglars leave the premises in the car.
On t'other hand, why steal the keys if they have no plans to use them?
Were any large electrical items taken?
Some burglars return after a few weeks when they judge the householder will have replaced the telly and hi-fi.
You can foil a return visit to get the car.
A second attempt at the house is harder to stop.
Changing the locks is an obvious move, but whatever you do, the house will still have windows with removable frames.
The best practical deterrent is probably a burglar alarm.
Changing your household's routine - if possible - is something else to consider.
If, when the burglars return, someone is in a couple of times when they expect the house to be empty, they may strike you off their list.
Last edited by: Iffy on Sat 10 Mar 12 at 04:02
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This Focus is it the top end spec the 2.0ltr model or a new model?
If older than 4yrs why bother they won't nick it. (sorry)
An alarm is a good idea & leave curtains open no silly blinds closed or net curtains spoiling the windows let an intruder be seen when the house is unocupied.
Get a safe a fire proof jobbie metal one and bolt it to the floor or a wall better still in garage hidden and leave the spare set of car keys in that, some good old safe's on e bay flippin heavy mine was but worth it just for the peace of mind.
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Sorry to hear that, Crocks. A nasty experience.
Get yourself a decent alarm system as soon as you can.
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Commiserations from me too, Crocks. I'd also recommend an alarm system, mostly as a visible deterrent.
Home security is a bit of a local arms race. You can't make your house impregnable but you can make it look harder than the one next door or along the street. When we bought our house two years ago it had the alarm but it hadn't been kept up to date, and the external boxes bore the name of an extinct company. Updating it was the obvious improvement to make. If the windows are a weak spot in your house, is there something you can do to improve that?
Enough advice - probably the last thing you need at the moment.
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Thanks for your thoughts.
Today's update. Car is now a mile from home, empty of all belongings and minus its HT leads. I'm changing all the house locks this afternoon.
rtj70 - thanks for the offer but I'm in SW London. My friend's drive in the next road would have been ideal to block the car in but he has a builder's skip in it!
I'm really just in information gathering mode until Monday.
The car is a 1999 Focus so a full re-lock and keys at a Ford dealer may write the car off.
My Admiral car insurance doesn't appear to mention keys and unfortunately house insurance is non-existent.
Information from a friend of a friend who has a small indy garage says that the chip in the key only communicates with the immobiliser when the ignition key is turned. So if I replace the steering column lock and transfer the chip from the second key (which I luckily still have) then the original key cannot be used to start the car. Unfortunately they (whoever they are) will still be able to get in the car. I can tell a trawl of Ebay is beckoning.
I don't understand why they took the keys and not the car. Maybe they can't drive!
No large items were taken, only cash. But they did search every corner of every drawer and cupboard and most of the boxes.
Hindsight is wonderful and now I have a long list of improvements to the house to pay for. Alarm. More secure windows and doors. Higher fences.....
I better leave it at that for now before I burn out the swear filters.
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...Hindsight is wonderful...
Given the propensity of burglars to return a second time, fitting an alarm is not hindsight in your case.
It's a measured and sensible reaction to a nasty event.
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Well some good news at last.
My keys had a tag on them with a home phone number in case I ever lost them. Yesterday I was thinking this was not a good idea since it allowed whoever had them to ring and find out if I was in before coming back to the house and car.
However yesterday evening someone rang to say they had found the keys in the road about two miles from where I live. So for some reason the burglars had discarded them.
I will never know why but I'm glad they did.
So the locks will remain unchanged and I have one less thing to sort out.
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Good news!
Someone once came into our house in the day via a back door when we were in. Took my wife's key and that's about it.*
They must have thought they had to keys to my Passat on the drive... but they were for an old Polo. Keys found by a neighbour on the drive the next morning quite near the Polo :-)
* Back door never left unlocked when not in use after that!
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Hi Gents,
Similar thing has happened to me recently and was wandering if anyone can help??
My flat was broken into not long ago and along with tvs etc, my spare key to my ford focus (55plate) was taken. (I didn't know at the time this was taken).
To rub salt into the wound, the scumbags came the very next night and stole my car!! Some good news is that the police found my car locked up and in one piece and is now being examined.
I still have the main key with the buttons and I worry that the thieves have my spare key (without buttons) ready to pounce and try again! So my query is can I get away with just re-programming my main key and using only that for now on or do I have to also get my locks changed so they can't get in?? I am assuming this is going to clean my pockets out if required...
Any advice appreciated. Thanks
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would your home insurance cover the cost of the key/lock change.
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There's two parts to the answer:
1. Getting into the car
2. Driving off in the car
The way the Ford immobiliser works is to 'pair' keys* to the car. So if the thieves still have the key they could just waltz up to the car, get in it and drive off at present. If you have two keys, you can pair a new one, but it won't remove the authorisation from the missing key.
To prevent the thieves' key from operating the locks, you need to change them.
To prevent the thieves' key* operating the immobiliser, you need a Ford dealer or a decent auto locksmith to clear the memory of all key transponders in the ECU, and then re-add the key(s) you still have.
*Actually a tiny transponder chip in the key (which can be changed)
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No home insurance Im afraid....safe to say I shall be putchasing that asap!
Thats very helpful thank you. Looks like changing the locks as well it is then. Might try and go through my insurance although my excess is quite high so will wait and see what the damage is first.
Many thanks.
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Hens Teeth: Have you been lost in the jungle for two years?
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Not exactly in the jungle - I read regularly, but only post when I've got something useful to say, when someone else hasn't said it already! I can only assume the more prolific posters have more time on their hands than I! :)
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>> Home security is a bit of a local arms race.
Too right, I had a new back door a year ago, and already the original lock (which was the best at the time) is easily defeated by burglars. Replaced by a new highest rated lock a few weeks ago, and on that basis, I'll have to change it again in a couple of years.
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you don't need to make the home 100% secure, mostly because you can't. You just need to make it more aggro and time-consuming than the house next door.
Alarms are a good idea, only need to basic, don't cost the earth and the wireless type kits are a doodle to install.
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>> and already the original
>> lock (which was the best at the time) is easily defeated by burglars. Replaced by
>> a new highest rated lock a few weeks ago, and on that basis,
Our house door locks are Garrison, and I think they're brilliant. We had the front and back door lock adapted so that the same key fits both ~ no fumbling to find the right key. If we want a new key we just take the key identification card we were given to the retailer, and it has the necessary registration number on it. The locks can be altered so that a different key is necessary. tinyurl.com/7e647ok
Garrison also make vehicle security products etc. tinyurl.com/7u3kspy
Last edited by: L'escargot on Sat 10 Mar 12 at 16:22
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Who changed your locks L'escargot.?Ours could do with a update.
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>> Who changed your locks L'escargot.?Ours could do with a update.
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I did. The shape of the locks is to a European standard. I think they're generally known as Euro cylinders. It's what's inside that matters. This shows the shape of them. tinyurl.com/6nwy7ef
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Thanks I want to fit a new lock to a sliding patio door double glazing.
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>> Thanks I want to fit a new lock to a sliding patio door double glazing.
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The handlestore.com website to which I gave the link tells you how to measure the lock and how to fit a new one. However, I wasn't suggesting you bought a lock from them. I can only comment on Garrison locks.
Last edited by: L'escargot on Sun 11 Mar 12 at 09:06
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>>Thanks I want to fit a new lock to a sliding patio door double glazing.
I would also fit inter-section bolt locks between the fixed and slider section, and also check that the moving section/s can't be levered out of the runners from the outside with a spade or such like. Older sliding doors were very susceptable to this entry method!
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Higher fences..... No way if you have this nobody can see the burgular robbing you!!!!
Low fences and low shrubs and get rid of net curtains.........
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NET CURTAINS ??????!!!!! Where are you all ? Holyhead ?
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Ford Focus - How much to change the locks? - rtj70
